Railway signaling



1927. June 21 L WYANT RAILWAY SIGNALING Filed Sept. 25, 1925 Patented June 21, 1927.

LEROY WYANT, on on'I'oAoo, LLINOIS, AssIGNoR to THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, on swIssvA n, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

'- RAILWAY SIGNALING.

Application filed September 25, 1925. Serial No. 58,593.,

The invention relates to railway signaling and more particularly to signaling means associated with crossovers between adjacent racks. I

In most railway signaling systems means are usuallyprovided whereby the opening of the switch at either end of a cross-over, will setthe signals of both adjacent tracks to indicate stop, but, if the switches are closed,

it is possible with the arrangement of trackcircuits now in use, fora car or locomotive to occupy a dangerous position on a crossover without setting the signals on both the adjacent tracks. The present invention seeks to provide improved means whereby, irrespective of the position of the switches, a car or locomotive on any part of the cross-over will place the signals of both tracks at stop.

To this end the cross-over is divided by -AB, B-C, C D and D -E, and these secinsulated rail joints'intoa series of sections that are alternately connected to the adjacent track circuits and the sections are of such relatively short length that a car or locomotive on the cross-over will engage the V rails of two adjacent sections and so set the signals of both adjacent tracks. The preferred arrangements are hereinafter more particularly set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings and the scope of the invention is defined in the appended claims. W I

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a diagram of one arrangement embodying the present invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrams of modifications. 1 I

In the drawings T and T indicate adjacent parallel tracks connected by a crossover K. As usual, the tracks T and T are divided into sections or blocks by insulated joints 2 and each section is provided with a track circuit comprising the track rails, a source of current 3 and a track relay 4. Suitable signals S and S are associated with the tracks T and T and suitable signaling circuits are controlled by the track relays 4. Any suitable or usual arrangement of signaling circuit can be employed. In the arrangement shown, the signaling circuit of each track comprises a conductor 5 extending from a source of current 6 and in which the contacts of the track relays 4 and the operating mechanism of the signal are interposed in series. As usual, the arrangement is such that when the rails of a track section are shunted by a car or train, the contacts of the corresponding track relay are opened and the signal controlled thereby set to indicate stoph As usual the switch rails at opposite ends of the cross-over are connected by conductors .7 to the adjacent track rails and also,

as usual, the arms of the frogs are connected.

by conductors 8. In accordance with the preferred arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the

rails of the cross-over extending'between the switches are electrically separated from the latter and are divided into a series of sections by insulated joints 9, the sections beingpreferably about thirty feet in length. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the joints are located at the points A, B, C,

D and E, so that the rails of the cross-over are divided into four insulated sections tions are alternately connected in parallel with theadjacent track circuits. Thus, the rails ofsection AB are connected to the rails of track T by the conductors 10 and the rails of section B'C are connected to the rails of track T by the conductors 8 and 11. Similarly the rails of sections 0-D and D-E are connected to the rails of the tracks T and T respectively.

As stated, the sections of the cross-over are relatively-short so that a car or locomo-j tive thereon will shunt or short circuit two adjacent sections and so shunt the circuits and set the signals of'both adjacent tracks. It is particularly noted that the cross-over has an .end insulated section between the frog and switch points of each track which is connected to the circuitof the other track so that, when a car or locomotive passes from one track and over the switch rails at the adjacent end of the cross-over, it will set the signals of the other track. It is also noted. that the arrangement is such that the car or locomotive will keep the signals of both tracks in stop position until it passes beyond the insulated section at the opposite end of the cross-over.

The cross-over can be divided into sections without employing insulated rail joints at all of the intermediate points between the sections. In the arrangement shown'in Fig. 2, one of the rails of the cross-over K is provided with insulated joints at the points A, B, C, D and E, and these sections, like those of the corresponding rail of the arrangement U{TED}STATES.I PA TE r j, OFFICE.

shown in Fig. 1, are alternately connected to the positive conductors of the circuits of the tracks T and T The other rail of the cross-over is provided with insulated joints only at the points A and E, and the entire portion of this rail between these points is connected to the negative conductors of the track circuits by the connections 8 and 12.

In the ii'orm shown in Fig. 3, one of the rails of the cross-over K is provided with an insulated joint only at the point A, the main portion of this rail being connected to the negative conductors of the track circuits. The other rail of the cross-over K is provided with insulated joints at the points A, B, C, D, D and E, and the sections AB, BC, 6-D and DE are alternately connected to the positive conductors of the respective track circuits by the connections 13 and 14. In this arrangement the insulated joints at the points D and D are arranged closely adjacent the frog of track 2 and the section of the cross-over rail between these joints is made as short as possible, since it will not cooperate with the other rail of the cross-over to shunt the track circuits.

In any of the forms, as soon as a car or locomotive passes from one of the tracks onto one of the end insulated sections of the crossover, it will shunt the circuit of the other track and so set the signals of both tracks. Also, as stated, the sections are of such length that when a car or locomotive is entirely on the cross-over at any point, it will connect the rails of two of the sections and thus set the signals of both tracks. It is noted that in the forms shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the negative conductors of the track circuits are permanently connected, but in the preferred arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the two track circuits are entirely independent.

Changes may be made in the details set forth without departure from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim as my invention: I

1. In combination in a railway signaling system, adjacent tracks having track circuits and signals controlled thereby, and a crossover divided by insulated rail joints into a series of relatively short sections, said sec tions being alternately connected to the circuits of the adjacent tracks with a section adjacent each track connected to the circuit of the other track.

2. In combination in a railway signaling system, adjacent tracks having track circuits and signals controlled thereby, and a crossover divided by a plurality of insulated rail joints in at least one of its rails into a plurality of relatively short sections, the rails of said sections being alternately connected in parallel with the adjacent track circuits with a section between the switch-points and frog of each track connected to the circuit of the other track.

3. In combination in a railway signaling system, adjacent tracks having track circuits and signals controlled thereby, and a crossover having its rails divided into a series of relatively short insulated sections, said sections being alternately connected to the circuits of the adjacent tracks with a section adjacent each track connected to the circuit of the other track.

4. In combination in a railway signaling system, adjacent tracks having independent track circuits and signals controlled thereby, and a cross-over having its rails divided by insulated joints into a series of relatively short sections, the rails of said sections being alternately connected in parallel with the circuits of the adjacent tracks with a section between the switch-points and frog of each track connected to the circuit of the other track.

5. In combinationin a railway signaling system, adjacent tracks having track circuits and signals controlled thereby, and a crossover having an insulated section adjacent each end and two or more intermediate insulated sections, said sections being alternately connected to the adjacent track circuits with the insulated end section adjacent each track connected to the circuit of the other track. I

LEROY WYANT. 

